Rental Cars Are In Short Supply This Thanksgiving, Thanks To Sandy

If you're planning to rent a car for the Thanksgiving drive to
grandma's house but haven't yet secured your vehicle, you should
shift your search into high gear.

News reports indicate that many rental car lots in the
northeastern U.S. are sitting empty this holiday season, due to Hurricane
Sandy.

Although damages from the storm are still being tallied, early
estimates put the total number of vehicles destroyed by Sandy
as high as 200,000.

That's still well short of the 350,000 ruined during Hurricane
Katrina in 2005, but more than enough to cripple auto supplies in
America's most densely populated region.

Proof of that was visible last week, when rental car shortages
were reported at Philadelphia-area Avis, Dollar
Thrifty, Enterprise, and Hertz outlets.

There's some hope that the situation will improve before
Thursday, as owners replace storm-damaged vehicles and return
rentals, and as recovery workers head home for the long holiday
weekend, freeing up more loaners.

However, a quick search of travel websites
reveals that availability is nearly non-existent in New York
City, and the limited number of vehicles on hand in New Jersey
are priced much higher than you'd expect.

Our advice? If you've not already begun your search, do so now.

If you hit roadblocks at Expedia and Priceline, go directly to rental company
websites: those companies don't typically list their full
inventory with travel brokers, and you may be able to nab one of
the cars they've held in reserve. If that should fail, go local
and call your nearest outlet. Chances are, you'll speak to a real
person who has first-hand knowledge of the situation on the lot.

If you're still planning to replace your storm-damaged car before
Thursday, you may be able to do so, but you'll
probably pay a premium — especially if you're purchasing a
used vehicle.

If you do opt for a used car, make sure to check it
thoroughly for any signs of storm damage. According to Carfax, as
many as 50% of storm-damaged vehicles have historically found
their way back onto the roads and into used car lots.

Thankfully, the company now offers a free service that allows
prospective buyers to type in the VIN of their potential purchase
and see if it's ever been damaged by floodwaters. You'll find
more information at Flood.Carfax.com.